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Scale of Technological Sophistication
The Scale of Technological Sophistication is a hierarchy of plateaus through which the technological advancement of a species or a group of species is defined. However, even within the same tier, differences between the most and least technologically developed members can be significant, especially within higher levels of the scale. Scale Tier IX: Pre-civilization Species of this tier have achieved sapience, and intelligent interaction between its members is possible. However, no true civilizations have formed, while weaponry is limited to primitive degrees of craftsmanship, using only materials easily accessible on their homeworld (i.e. wood, stone, etc., while weapons are limited to wooden spears, hammers and possibly sharp spears). Antique humanity stood on this plateau between 200,000 BCE and 12,000 BCE, when the very first civilized communities emerged in the Levant, with the Natufian culture becoming sedentary. It is believed to have achieved a significant degree of agricultural development by 10,000 BCE. It is assumed that even the Ring Builders were once part of this level of technological development. Tier VIII: Early civilization Species standing on this level have limited but functioning communities scattered across their homeworld, with various degrees of civilization. Interaction between communities is limited and nearly inexistent, while that within communities is common. Proto-urban settlements are either rare or inexistent. Antique humanity stood on this level between 12,000 BCE and around 4,000 BCE, when cuneiform writing and unified states began appearing. Tier VII: Pre-Medieval civilization Species that are included within this level have formed unitary and functioning empire-like states, usually governed by an asbolute monarch which is worshipped and/or is considered a deity or a descendant of a deity. Humanity reached this level with the unification of Lower and Upper Egypt in ca. 3,200 BCE, dawning a thriving and fairly advanced civilization that was capable of constructing the pyramids, buildings which are deemed to be far too complex for the period and are looked upon with suspicion. The most advaced human civilized state to be included in this category is the Roman Empire, which, although it existen in the pre-medieval period, was exceedingly advaced and remains a model of governance even in the 24 century. The Empire is known to have been able of building aqueducts, roads, and complex buildings, such as the Colosseum. After the dissolution of the Roman Empire, humanity wod enter a period of cultural and technological regression that would end around 1200-1300 CE. Even so, the Roman Empire remained the most advanced human civilization to ever exist up until the early 16 century. The Ring Builders surpassed this tier more than two billion years ago. Tier VI: Medieval / Pre-industrial civilization Species that are assigned this tier have divided their world into many nation-states delimited by clearly defined borders which are fairly easily crossable. Few of this nations have risen above the others, having more advanced technology and living standards, as well as a developed military. These great powers often compete against each other and form alliances that dissolve within a fairly short amount of time. Besides guns and early machine guns, the species is not capable of any advanced weaponry, while swords and crossbows are used in a reduced proportion. Living standards are significantly higher compared to the previous tier. Regarding government types, the first democracies appear towards the end of this period. Humanity was assigned this level between 1300 and 1760 CE. The most powerful of nation-states are usually regarded to have been France, the United Kigdom, the Russian Empire, the Ottoman Empire and Austria (later Austria-Hungary), which often engaged in military confrontations over territory. Democracy was introduced as a form of governance by the founding of the French Republic and the US, which formed at the very end of this period. It is unknown whether the Ring Builders ever experienced this tier. Tier V: Industrial civilization These species underwent an industrial revolution, automating some elements that previously required work force, such as food production and even the creation of projectile weapons. The aggressiveness of nation-states increases exponentially, although more reliable alliances are formed. The blocs that form as a result of the alliances collide with each other and could result in global-wide wars. Chemical weapons are used for the first time. Living standards increase as well, as does the personal income of the everyday worker. Humanity stood on this level between 1760 and 1945 CE. It endured the First World War during 1914 and 1918 CE, when the Allies and the Central Powers finally clashed after nearly half a century of increasing international tensions. Tier IV: Atomic age Tier IV species usually begin focusing on clean energy production. Ocasionally belligerent races will make use of weapons of mass destruction to force the surrender of one side in a military confrontation. Most species reach the climax of their aggressiveness during this period, after which international tensions begin to decrease because of mutualy assured destruction. Humanity entered this period in 1945 CE, when two atomic weapons were used on the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki against Imperial Japan in World War II (1939 - 1945), the last of humanity's world wars. Tier III: Early spaceflight Tier III species have become sufficiently intelligent to escape the cradle of their civilization and set foot on another body in their star system. This is the final resting place of species who are not able to see past their difference and ignite nuclear war. Humanity's first extraplanetary flight took place in 1969, followed by a period of spaceflight regression after the conclusion of the Cold War and space race. They truly entered this period with the first interplanetary flights from Earth to Mars. However, such flights remained expensive until the invention of the Epstein drive. Tier II: Interplanetary civilization Tier II species usually have a centralized, unified government that rules over their homeworld and its colonies across their star system. Because of the disappearance of self-governing nation-states, tensions are inexistent, unless insurrectionists vow for the independence of a central colony from the main government. Space naval forces appear for the first time, with fleets numbering from several to tens or hundreds of militarily-capable vessels. Humanity reached this level in the early 23 century, having extremely efficient space engines that can sustain a constant acceleration for one half of the journey, steadily decelerating for the other half. Given enough time, these engines could accelerate the spacecraft to significant percentages of the speed of light. However, since no interstellar flights have been attempted, no vessel has ever reached such speeds''Leviathan Wakes''. After severe damage had been done to Earth's ecosystem, climate change had reached critical levels, and fossil fuels had been depleted, the United Nations began gaining prominence by issuing projects to counteract these problems. Eventually, all nations ceded their individual sovereignties to the organization, effectively rendering thr UN the unified government of all human territories. However, after achieving the ability to self-sustaining themselves, the Martian colony vowed for independence from the UN, which they were ultimately granted. Thus was born the Martian Congressional Republic and the rivalry between the final two human superpowers, the UN and the MCR, began. Other organization sought official recognition as legitimate governments, such as the Outer Planets Alliance, which claimed sovereignty over the Main Asteroid Belt of the Sol system, however, they were only partially successful or unsuccessful at all. Current humanity is positioned somewhere between the second and first plateaus. Tier I: Interstellar empire Species included within this tier are exceedingly advanced technologically and have functioning wormhole gates that link their colonies and allow for superluminal transit between them. Their colonies live in harmony with each other and with the central government(s), allowing for a thriving interstellar society to develop and a stable colonial empire. For a better designation, this tier has been split up into two sub-plateaus: Lower I: Early interstellar colonies These species have just cracked the secrets of stable wormholes and have few colonies over a portion of their stellar neighborhood. Current humanity tends towards this position, however, they still lack the knowledge necessary for creating ever-lasting stable wormhole gates themselves and have spread across the galaxy only because of the discovery of a network of wormhole gates built by a foreign dissolved empire. Consequently, their are still short of tier I and are classified as a tier-II species. Lower II: Thriving interstellar empire These species had been colonizing portions of the galaxy over a significantly long period of time and created a vast, stable, and thriving interstellar empire. Before their demise at the hands of a foreign empire, the Ring Builders stood on this level and were considered the dominant species of the Milky Way galaxy. Notes TBA References